


Hymn for the Weekend

by voices_in_my_head



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: 52 weeks challenge, Music AU, it's more like they're lowkey trying to assess each other, not very slashy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-15
Updated: 2016-04-15
Packaged: 2018-06-02 10:00:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6562015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/voices_in_my_head/pseuds/voices_in_my_head
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Tobio was aware that Tsukishima Kei knew that he was at the festival."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hymn for the Weekend

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Veto_power_over_clocks](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Veto_power_over_clocks/gifts).



> Prompt for this week was "a story set at a concert or festival" and I'm surprised I actually manage to write it. Thanks Ceci, for the idea. Hope you enjoy it.

Tobio was aware that Tsukishima Kei knew that he was at the festival. He was pretty sure that that was why he hadn’t met him yet, since he kept getting glimpses of him, but whenever he tried to part through the crowd to get to him, the guy would vanish like he’d never been there in the first place.

He had thought it a coincidence the first time, and even the second and third, but by the fourth he had accepted that the pianist simply didn’t want to meet him.

Tobio scrunched his nose at the thought. Tsukishima certainly wasn’t the first musician that didn’t want to meet him, not with the reputation he had, though admittedly mostly accurate.

But really, what was Tobio to do? He was a music critic and people expected him to be honest on what he thought of artists. It wasn’t his fault most new ones seemed to be… completely crap. Or sometimes it was simply when they got together. Bokuto Koutarou had a good voice and Akaashi Keiji was a magnificent violinist. But together? It just did not sound good.

Bokuto-san had not appreciated that particular article and had already found Tobio several times at the festival to tell him exactly what he thought of it and of him. Akaashi-san was usually not very far behind, apologizing for Bokuto-san’s behaviour, though with a look that told Tobio that he wasn’t really sorry, that he in fact supported basically everything out of Bokuto-san’s mouth but that he was also aware that what Bokuto-san was doing wasn’t the most professional thing and could get them in trouble.

Well, no matter. Tobio had been getting into arguments with musicians for a long time and he supposed that that wouldn’t change for as long as he stayed in the business, if not after as well.

But Tsukishima he had been looking forward to meeting. Tobio had heard him in the first day of the festival, two days before, and it had been… an experience. Tsukishima had only played for around twenty minutes, as an introduction to Bokuto’s band, but they had been probably the best twenty minutes of that night.

Tobio already had two paragraphs on his music, but it wasn’t enough. And true, it could have been a chance. Maybe Tsukishima wasn’t always such a good player, but Tobio sincerely doubt it. He knew music, better than he knew anything else, and he recognized true talent from miles away. Tsukishima was a true artist and Tobio wanted nothing more than to hear him play the piano again.

And so, the search continued, because he was curious to meet the musician as well. He did believe in separating the talent from the artist. Just because someone sung the most romantic songs, it didn’t mean they weren’t cruel persons and all that. What you heard wasn’t always the truth of the soul. Sometimes it was the exact opposite. And Tobio was usually good at separating the two; it was why his articles never had much personal information on the musicians. If people wanted to know their sign and their new date, they could buy a pink magazine.

Yet, Tsukishima’s presence called to him. He always walked with a straight back, holding himself high, yet his music had been humble. Practised, without a doubt, full of talent and of hard work, but humble. Tobio just wanted to know if the idea he had of Tsukishima would be in any way alike to the actual man.

He asked people about him, receiving a knowing look from his very first editor, Oikawa-san, while Kuroo-san had smirked at him and told him to be careful around that one.

Hinata, once he’d finally grown desperate enough to seek him, had started jumping up and down and screaming about how he should leave Tsukki alone.

Tsukki. That was an interesting nickname, one Tobio hadn’t expected to hear, and he was one hundred per cent aware that he was getting way too caught up in this guy.

But he was also still doing his job. Over the past three days he had heard eighteen different artists and he had articles about all of them, if not all of the same length. The one about Tsukishima Key was the only one he hadn’t sent to his editor yet, even though he knew he should. He just needed another look – or in this case, a hearing.

Two more days passed with Tsukishima still managing to evade him, but finally on the last day of the festival, Tobio found him at a tent serving noodles.

Tsukishima looked ready to run when he saw him, but since food had just been served in front of him, he seemed conflicted about whether to just leave it or not.

Tobio took the opportunity and walked quickly towards his table.

“May I sit?” He asked.

Tsukishima looked him up and down, judging him, but finally nodded, though it wasn’t a very convinced gesture. Still, Tobio would take what he could get, and so he sat in front of Tsukishima.

“I’ve been searching for you some days,” he started with no preamble.

“I hadn’t noticed,” Tsukishima said in a very bored tone. Tobio knew that that was a lie just as Tsukishima knew he knew. Still, he decided there was no reason to open that particular can of worms.

“Any particular reason you’ve been looking for me?” Tsukishima asked without giving him a chance to get the conversation to continue himself.

“I wanted to meet you,” Tobio told him honestly, just as he always was. He didn’t see a reason to lead life differently than he took music.

Tsukishima raised an eyebrow at that, “why?”

“Your music was… one of the best of this festival.”

“The great Kageyama Tobio, king of critics, is complementing me?” Tsukishima still hadn’t lowered his eyebrow. “The world must be coming to an end.”

Tobio frowned at that. He didn’t compliment musicians very often, that was true, but it wasn’t unheard of. He had high standards, not impossible ones. He also did not appreciate being called king.

“I like good music,” he defended himself, not even sure why. It wasn’t the first time he was being attacked, but it was probably the first that he was answering it, actually wanting to defend his actions and words.

Tsukishima immediately started, “you like conceited music. You never approve of new genres. It’s like all electrical music is underneath you. You don’t like when people mix genres either. Bokuto-san’s band is applauded by almost everyone but you. You hate pop music. Let’s not even talk about rap. I’m not surprised you like my music, seeing as I mostly played classical. Tell me. Do you only enjoy music written by dead people?”

Tobio blinked at him. That was… inaccurate.

“Bokuto-san has a great voice. I simply don’t think it sounds well in the mix of so many instruments and electrical noises. Rap is very often offensive, and I see no reason to applaud artists for it and pop is… there are many problems in its industry. It’s not always the artists’ problems, yet people have to be aware of them, so that we can change them-“

“Every genre has issues. Yes, rap can be aggressive sometimes, but it’s been a symbol of hope in many poor neighbourhoods, especially in America, as well. As for sexism… you can probably find it everywhere. Almost no female artist from the 18th century is remembered. And pop does have many issues, so perhaps instead of putting artists down for their chosen genre, you should write about that.”

“I do write about that. But I see you only take the parts of my articles you choose,” Tobio answered in an aggravated tone, which he knew was a mistake. He should simply get up and walk away. Clearly Tsukishima did not like him, and right then he couldn’t say the feeling wasn’t mutual.

Tsukishima squinted at that. Then he smirked. “I’m glad to see you’re biting and not just bark.”

Tobio blinked. “What?”

“I just wanted to see if you really were as snobby as your articles make you seem. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I still think you’re snobby, and conceited, and you really need a re-adjustment regarding your opinion of music of the 21st century, but there seems to be more to it than just that.”

Tobio continued to frown. So Tsukishima had been… testing him?

“I like some music of the 21st century,” was finally what he said after several moments of silence.

Tsukishima’s smirk just got bigger at that and he went back to his noodles, which he’d forgotten during their altercation.

“So, you really like my music?” He asked after several bites, where Tobio had been thinking if he shouldn’t just leave him to it in peace. He sounded disinterested but Tobio didn’t believe that for a second. If he didn’t care, then he wouldn’t have asked.

“Yes. And not simply because it’s classical music. While I do believe classical music is one of the richest in the world, I also believe it is the musicians that make it beautiful and not everyone can do that. You can.”

“Thank you,” Tsukishima said, in a matter of fact tone. Not precisely like he heard it all the time and simply expected it, but like he was aware that he was good and took pride in it and wasn’t going to pretend otherwise just to appear humbler.

They went back to being silent after that, and slowly he saw Tsukishima’s bowl start to become emptier. He didn’t want their conversation to finish yet, not when they had at least reached a point where they were being civil to each other.

“Where are you playing next?”

Tsukishima raised an eyebrow, but didn’t make any outward comment about the question itself. “I’m between jobs right now, so I’m not sure yet. I have an interview next week to join an orchestra.”

“You should be playing solo,” Tobio said before he could think better of it.

Tsukishima sent him a smile, which Tobio realized was the first one he’d seen in the other’s face and it was amazing the difference it made. He looked younger, more relaxed and also more beautiful, though that idea Tobio did his best to immediately throw it out of his mind.

“Not everyone feels the same as you. An orchestra is good experience and a good way of getting my name out there. As you might have noticed, I was simple the starting act.”

“Your name is going to get known. I’m writing about you.”

“All good things, I’m sure,” Tsukishima said in an ironic tone, but still with a small smile, so Tobio didn’t reply, guessing he was just jesting, since Tsukishima already knew Tobio enjoyed his music and so it would be unlikely for a bad article about him to be published.

It was quiet after that again. Tsukishima finished his food undisturbed, while Tobio spent the minutes thinking if he should ask for his contact – purely for professional reasons, of course, even if he couldn’t quite remember any at the moment – or just hope to hear his music in a nearby future. And perhaps have a conversation as well. He couldn’t say Tsukishima Kei was exactly what he had had in mind, but he wasn’t all contrary either. Tobio felt like he would like to talk more with him, even if just to continue discussing music and everything right and wrong with the different industries and the awards and everything that had to do with the art they’d made their lives, even if in different situations.

“After the last concert, I’m going to be at the after party. I hope to see you there,” Tsukishima said and got up. “Bye,” he left without expecting a reply and Tobio blinked at his back several times before a slow smile appeared in his face. At least he knew Tsukishima wouldn’t be vanishing after catching sight of him anymore. Perhaps more things than just several articles would come out of this festival.

 


End file.
